Lock mechanism



Nov. 7, 1944. w. A. ENDTER LOCK MECHANISM Filed Aug. 6, 194a 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 I 'v I MlZZIIflJP/QDDIIE VINVENTOR.

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W. A. ENDTER LOCK MECHANISM Filed '6, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 7, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I LOCK MECHANISM Waldemar A. Endter, Long Beach, Calif. I

Application August 6, 1943, Serial No. 497,594 19 Claims. (Cl. 292-414) 2 This invention has to do generally with lock mechanisms, and is directed particularly to improvements in looks of the type embodying a moved to progressively advance the locked parts toward complete engagement. Although app1ica-.

ble to various specific forms of locks thus characterized, the invention will be described typically as embodied in automobile door locks in which the bolt element is rotatably forced against the keeper to urge the door in a closing direction.

The objects and particular advantages of the invention may be appreciated to better advantage after preliminary consideration of certain operating characteristics of rotary bolt locks. In the first place, it is impractical to design the'lock on the assumption that the parts, e. g. the bolt and the keeper, shall have exact closed relative positions, since variations occur in the closed positions of doors (relative to the body pillars) in diflerent installations. Accordingly, the bolt and keeper engagement is designed to permit locking association in different relative positions of the parts, as by permitting the bolt to move during its rotation, along an angular or wedge surface of the keeper. For similar reasons, force is applied to the bolt itself by means acting to progressively urge it along the keeper surface to whatever final locking position the bolt may assume. Such movement usually is effected by the action of one or'more spring-urged dogs or cams against the bolt.

The locked condition of the mechanism results eflectively resist accidental disengagement or Strictly speaking, however, suchv locks cannot be said to have absolutely positive resistance to disengagement, for the reason, at least according to many opinions, that wedged resistance to reverse movement oi. a part cannot, regardless of the wedge angularity, preclude the possibility of such movement under circumstances as where the part is subjected to vibration and reversing pressure or force. Accordingly, my primary object is to improve upon prior locks of the type herein contemplated, in a manner whereby the lock parts are positivelyheld against accidental movement or release in a lock opening direction,

' at any of different locations or stages of engagement between the parts, permitting elimination of such devices as safety catches otherwise used to prevent accidentalrelease of the locked structure.

Generally speaking, this object is accomplished by providing, in addition to whatever type of mechanism that may be employed for dogging, camming or otherwise urging the bolt in a closing direction, holding means engageable by the rotating bolt as it tends to turn reversely, to positively resist such turning at different or successive positions, all as will later app ar. In its preferred form the holding device comprises spring actuated means, desirably made as a single or unit piece, having different surfaces for engagement with a surface of the boltln successive positions of its rotation; and being completely, resistant to displacement from said holding position by any reverse thrust of the bolt.

It is to be understood that the invention contemplates the use of any suitable type of mechanism for exerting progressive closing force against the bolt, as for example the sliding wedge type dogging action disclosed in Patent Number 1,902,628 issued March 21, 1933; to me on-Doorlock, or a pivoted type dogging or camming action described in my later Patent Number 2,224,512 issued December 10, 1940, on Door latch. Also it is contemplated that difierent specific forms,

Fig. 2 is an inside elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on I line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

FlgsQS, 6, 7, and. 8 are views taken on line 5-! of Fig. 2 showing progressive positions of the lock parts as the bolt engages and rotates against the keeper to locked position; i

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the lock and keeper assembly in a variational form of the invention;

Fig. is a section on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a cross-section on line ll|l of Fig. 9; and Figs. 12, 13,- 14, and are views showing progressive stages in the operation of the bolt camming and holding mechanism.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the lock assembly, adapted to be installed in an automobile door and to co-act with a keeper on the body frame or pillar, is shown to comprise an angular case It) having a flange Illa supporting the bolt and the camming and holding elements, and flange [0b supporting the roll-back or lock releasing mechanism. In its preferred form, the bolt generally indicated at I I, is mounted for full 360 rotation on its shaft or trunnion l2 which is supported by a semi-housing or bracket l3 and a plate 14 positioned at the inside of flange Illa in spaced relation thereto, as appearing in Figs. 2

and 3. The bolt may, be regarded as having an outer keeper-engaging portion Ma, and an inner portion Hb engaged by the camming wedge and step plate- Between these portions Ma and Nb, the bolt has a circular flange l5 occupying and substantially closing a circular opening I6 defined by the case and bracket l3.

The bolt is shaped to provide a plurality of heads or teeth l'l, alined' at opposite sides of the flange l5, shaped and angularly spaced to engage and rotate against the keeper in the positional sequences illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8. The case i0 carries an integrally formed lug or abutment 58 in spaced relation to the bolt ll so that in the event of vertical looseness in the door mounting, the bolt tends to urge the keeper against the abutment l8, and thereby eliminate vertical vibration. The keeper indicated at E9 in Figs. 5 to 8 is mounted in the conventional manner on the body pillar, as will be understood without necessity for further detailed illustration.

As viewed in Fig. 1, the bolt, in certain keeper engaging positions, is urged in a clockwise direction by suitable dogging or camming means, which typically may consist of one or more springpressed wedge elements engaging theinner portion 5 lb of the bolt. As illustrative the bolt camming means is shown to comprise a wedge plate mounted for reciprocal sliding movement along the inside surface 2! of the case flange 50b, the

wedge being suitably maintained in position as by means of a guide 2?. Normally the wedge is yieldably pressed against the inner portion lib of the bolt in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, by a coil spring 23 supported as at 24 between the case and plate l4, and having a projecting end 23a bearing against the upper end of the wedge to constantly thrust it against the bolt.

In this first described form of the invention, the bolt is held against reverse or unlocking rotation from different locked positions, by a holding device which, in the interests of practicability and utmost simplicity, consists of a single dogging element in the form of a step plate 25 positioned,

like the wedge 20, between the case-flange lab and the guide 22 for reciprocal sliding movement along the case surface 2|. Plate 25 also is yieldably urged toward the bolt,.as by a coil spring 26 carried by the mounting at 24 and having an end portion 26a engaging the upper end of the plate. Below guide 22, the plate 25 has a series of stepped surfaces 21, 28 and 29 of any suitable number and extent longitudinally of the plate, and between these surfaces are shoulders 30 and 3| of rather abrupt angularity. Surfaces 21, 29 and 29 have no angularity appreciably tending to rotate the bolt in alocking direction when in engagement therewith, and therefore they effectively preclude the possibility of the step plate becoming displaced upwardly or in a bolt releasing direction through forces applied by the bolt in tending to rotate reversely out of locked position. Preferably the stepped surfaces 21, 28, and 29 extend in true parallelism with the straight surface 2| supporting the step plate, although if desired the step surfaces may be given a slope of slight angularity opposite the slope of the wedge surface 20a. In either instance there is no component, of the resistance imposed by the dogging surfaces 21, 28' and 29 against reverse rotation of the bolt, tending appreciably to reversely rotate the bolt or permit its rotation in a latch releasing direction.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 8, when initially moved against the keeper IS, the bolt is rotated from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 5 in which the wedge and step plate assembly has become displaced against the resistance of springs 23 and 26 to a position at which the point of engagement between the bolt and the wedge and step plate, is approaching the end 32 of the bolt tooth i1. Rotation of the bolt up to that point is resisted by the spring thrust communicated through the step plate and wedge. Upon further rotation of the bolt to the position of Fig. 6, the wedge 20" comes into engagement with the opposite side of the tooth surface so that the tendency of the wedge then is to dog or cam the bolt in a closing direction. Thereafter, depending upon the resistance offered to closing movement of the door, and therefore of the bolt, the latter may be further rotated in a closing direc- I tion by the cam to the successive positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the latter representing a position of maximum closing by reason of the obvious effect of the wedge engagement against the bolt in this position.

At or between any of the positions of Figs. 6, 7, and 8, accidental turning of the bolt in a reverse or opening direction'is resisted, and under ordinary circumstances prevented by engagement of the bolt against the wedge surface 26a having an angularity substantially as illustrated. However, under relatively great pressure applied by the bolt, accompanied by vibrations, the Wedge may tend to back away from the bolt and ultimately permit reverse rotation of the bolt to a position just beyond that of Fig. 6, to release the bolt from locked engagement with the keeper. The primary purpose of the step plate 25 is to positively insure against such accidental resuccessively the stepped surfaces 27, 2B, and 29,.

and permits the holding element to intermittently shift or snap downwardly opposite the bearing surface of the bolt tooth. Reverse turning of the bolt resulting in displacement of the wedge brings one of these stepped surfaces into engagement with the bolt to positively arrest any further reverse rotation thereof.

Any suitable mechanisms may be provided fg manually releasing the wedge element and step plate from the inside and outsideof the vehicle door, and for -locking the parts against release from the outside. As typical, I have shown at 34 an outside operated roll-back comprising an arm 35 having a hub 35 journaled for rotation within openings 31 and 38 in the case flange I and a cover 39, respectively; The door handle shaft may be received within the polygonal opening- 40 in the hub. The end portion or arin 35 is engageable with a projection 4| integral with and extending from the bottom of the step plate nected at 44 to a link 45 which may be operatively connected to the conventional inside door handle permitting retraction from the inside, of the wedge and step plate. The link 45 is slotted at 46 to permit shifting of the link to a'position at which its lug surface 41 directly overlies and substantially engages surface 48 on the arm 35 to prevent lock releasing location of either of the arms 35 or 42, it being understood that link 45 isto be confined against lateral movement and may be independently operated as an inside look.

The general mode of operation of the variational form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 to is similar to the described embodiment, with the principal difference that the bolt camming and holding elements are mounted for pivotal, as distinguished from straight-line or. sliding movement. Here the lock assembly comsition is arrested by a holding element preferably in the form 'of a single step plate 65 also mounted for oscillation on pin 64 against the resistance of coil spring 59. Plate 68 carries an integral arm 10 projecting through an arcuate slot H in the case flange 50b and engaging the bottom end of ture about that center.

prises a case having a flange 50a at the inside of which is mounted the.roll-back mechanism generally indicated at 5|, and flange 50b at the outside of which is mounted the bolt. 52 and its dogging and holding, mechanism 53. The bolt 52, shown typically as having three'headsor teeth 54, is rotatable on its trunnion 55 supported at 56 by the case flange 50b and at 51. by the outside housing 58. The bolt is engageable with a keeper 59 on plate 60 which also carriesa lug 6| between which and the keeper 59 the housing and bolt" assembly may become confined or wedged to prevent relative vertical displacement of the locked parts.

Rotation of the bolt in engaging and entering the keeper is yieldably resisted and then aided by a plurality of pivoted camming elements 62 and as, two being shown as typical, mounted for oscillation about a shaft'or pin 54 supported at 65l and 55! in the case flange 55b and housing 58, respectively. The bolt-engaging portion 52a of the camming. element 52 extends radially from the center of oscillation about pin 64 a greater distance than the bolt engaging portion 63a of element 53, so that the two elements 00- operate progressively or sequentially to urge the bolt in a closing direction, as will presently appear. The bolt'engaging surfaces of the camming elements extend upwardly and outwardly from concentricity with the pin 54, so as toexert, upon downward swinging, a camming action against. the bolt tending to turn it into andalong the keeper 59. Upward swinging-of the camming olements from the normal positions of Fig. 10, is resisted by individual coil springs 65 and 58 mounted within the upper interior of the housing 58 on a suitable support 51.

Retractive rotation of the bolt from locked pothe slot to limit downward swinging'of the plate to the position appearing in Fig. 10. The camming elements are shaped to provide lugs 52b and 83b engageable with arm 70 to limit downward swinging movement of the elements. Plate 58 has a series of stepped dogging surfaces 12, 15; I4,

. cular curvature'in a direction opposite the curvature of the dogging elements, so that pressure exerted by the bolt against any of surfaces 12 to 15 would tend to swing the step plate downwardly in a bolt engaging direction, rather than to displace it in a bolt disengaging direction.

Normally the positions of the bolt, camming elements and step plate are as shown in Fig. 10, wherein the bolt is shown to have a fully advanced position in the'keeper, the same as that normally assumed by the bolt outside the keeper. Figs. 12 to 15 illustrate the sequences occurring in the operation of engaging the bolt with the keeper and advancing the bolt to locked positions.- Upon engagement with the keeper 59, the bolt rotation displaces the c mining elements and step plate upwardly agai'nst he resistance of the' springs, and continues to do so until the end of the bolt head or tooth 54a passes just beyond the lowermost end of the radially shorter dogging element 53, at which point that element starts to urge the .bolt in a closing direction. At that same point the step plate 58 is cleared by the bolt and shifts down to a position as illustrated in Fig. 13.

Depending upon the resistance offered to further closing of the door, the bolt may be further rotated by the action of camming element 53 to the position of Fig. 14, in which a successive stepped surface of the holding element is swung down opposite the bearing surface of the bolt.

Beyond the advancement of Fig. 14, dogging element 62 comes into play to further rotate the bolt, as to .the position shown in Fig. 15. Here the step plate 88 has shifted further downward to bring a successive one of the holding surfaces opposite the bearing surface of the bolt.

The action and the effect of the step plate are to preclude reverse rotation of the bolt out of the keeper as a result of back thrust exerted by the bolt. Should the camming elements, in that event, become displaced in a releasing direction from any of such positions shown in Figs.

13 to 15, retractive movement of the elements brings the bearing surface of the bolt into engagement with one of the surfaces I2 to 15 of the ll resisting upward swinging movement of the arm. The armcarries a projection 82 engageable with the step plate carried arm 10 to swing the camming elements and step plate upwardly and together to bolt releasing positions. The camming and holding elements may be released from the inside of the door by an arm 83 on pin 80 and having a projection 84 engageable with arm I0. Arm 83 may be swung by a link connection 85 to displace arm 10 and the camming and holding elements to released position.

The arm 83 also is operable to releasably lock the latch mechanism against release of the bolt camming and holding elements, by rendering the outside operated roll-back 18 inefiective to displace arm 83 in an upward direction to release the camming and holding elements. Upon inward movement of the inside operated link 85, arm 83 is swung downward to bring a projection 84 integral therewith in overlying engagement with a lug or projection 18a on arm 18, thus locking the latter against upward swinging movement. Arm 83 thereafter is returnable to the released position shown, either by outward movement of link 85, or by virtue of engagement of the bolt with the end of the keeper as the bolt and keeper are brought together from disengaged positions and the bolt thereupon is rotated in an advancing or latching direction to first displace the camming and holding elements upwardly, thereby bringing arm into engagement with lug 86 on arm 83 to swing the latter to the releasing position.

Iclaim:

1. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means for rotating the bolt in a latching direction, and releasable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in diiierent positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means.

2. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, means continuously camming the bolt throughout a predetermined range of its rotation in a latching direction, and releasable, relatively movable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation at successive predetermined intervals within the range of its rotation by said camming means.

3. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means for rotating the bolt in a latching direction, releasable-dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said. cam means, and spring means urging said dogging means against the bolt.

4. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means engaging and acting to rotate the bolt in a latching direction, releasable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means, and means for simultaneously rebiased into engagement with one of said heads during normal latching rotation of the bolt to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means.

6. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt carrying a plurality of circularly arranged heads, cam means engageable with a surface on one of said heads to rotate the bolt in a latching direction, and releasable, relatively movable means biased into engagement with said surface during normal latching rotation of the bolt to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means.

'7. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, means continuously camming the bolt throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction, and a single relatively movable and releasable dogging element biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different sequential positions within the range of its rotation by said camming means.

8. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, means continuously camming the bolt throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction, and a single relatively movable and releasable dogging element hav ng. a series of holding surfaces in stepped relation sequentially engageable with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said camming means.

9. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means for rotating the bolt in a latching direction, and releasable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to resist reverse rotation of the bolt in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means, there being no component of the resistance imposed by the dogging means against reverse rotation of the bolt in said positions, tending appreciably to reversely rotate the bolt.

10. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable with the bolt, movable means having in engagement with said bolt cam surface means of such angularity that when moved against the bolt said cam surface means continuously rotates the bolt in a latching direction while the bolt is engaged with said keeper, and relatively movable and releasable dogging meanshaving holding surfaces successively engageable with the bolt during the range of its said rotation under the influence of said cam surface means to hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions, said holding surfaces having no appreciable angularity in the direction of angularity of said cam surface means.

11. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable by the bolt, reversely movable cam means for continuously camming the bolt throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction and while engaged with said keeper, and releasable dogging means positioned in side-by-side relation to said cam means and movable in the direction of movement thereof during normal latching rotation of the bolt by said camming means, to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation.

12. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable by the bolt, reversely movable cam means for continuously camming the bolt throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction and while engaged with said against reverse rotation in different sequential position, and means for retracting both said cam means and dogging means from operative engagement with the bolt.

13. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable by the bolt, reversely movable cam means for continuously camming the bolt throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction and while engaged with said keeper, a,- single releasable dogging element positioned in side-by-side relation to said camming means and having a series of stepped holding surfaces movable in the direction of the movement of the camming means during normal latching movement of the bolt by said camming means, to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation, and yielding means urging said cam- -ming means and dogging element against the bolt.

14. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means for rotating the bolt in a latch-' ing direction, releasable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means, and means supporting said dogging means for reciprocal sliding movement.

15. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, means continuously camming the bolt-- throughout a range of its rotation in a latching direction, a single relatively movable and releasable dogging element biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different sequential positions within the range of its rotation by said camming means, means supporting said do ging element for reciprocal sliding movement, spring means "for pressing said camming means and dogging element against the bolt, and means for simultaneously releasingsaid camming means and dogging element from operative engagement with the bolt.

16. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable with the bolt, movable means having in engagement with said bolt cam surface means of such angularity that when moved against the bolt said cam surface means continuously rotates the bolt in a latching direction while the bolt is engaged with said keeper, a single doggingelement positioned in side-byside relation to said movable means and having stepped holding surfaces successively engageable with the bolt during its rotation under the influence of said cam surface mean to hold the bolt againstreverse rotation in different positions, said holding surfaces having no appreciable angularity in the direction of angularity of said cam surface means, and means supporting said dogging element for reciprocal sliding movement.

1'7. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, cam means for rotating the bolt in a latching direction, releasable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions within the range of its rotation by said cam means, and means supporting said dogging means for reciprocal pivotal movement.

18. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, pivotally movable means continuously camming the bolt throughout a predetermined range of its rotation in a latching direction, and pivotally mounted releasable, relatively movable dogging means biased into engagement with the bolt during its normal latching rotation to positively hold the bolt against reverse rotation at successive predetermined intervals within the range of its rotation by said camming means.

19. A latch mechanism comprising a rotatable bolt, a keeper engageable with the bolt, a plurality 0f pivotally movable means having in engagement with said bolt cam surface means of such angularity that when moved against the bolt said cam surface mean continuously rotates the bolt in a latching direction while the bolt is engaged with said keeper, and relatively movable and releasable 'pivotally movable dogging means having arcuate holding surfaces biased into engagement with the bolt during the range of its said rotation under the influence of said cam surface mean to hold the bolt against reverse rotation in different positions,

said holding surfaces having no appreciable an- 

